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Braves jump on Seth Lugo for 5 runs in 7th, beat Mets

ATLANTA BRAVES' Matt Joyce slides safely into home as New York Mets catcher Wilson Ramos tries to make the tag in the seventh inning Wednesday, in Atlanta.

AP photo

Posted
Thursday, August 15, 2019 9:24 am

By CHARLES ODUM

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves survived another near-meltdown by the back end of their bullpen in the ninth after the New York Mets' best reliever gave up five runs in the seventh.

Tyler Flowers drove in a tiebreaking run with an infield hit, and Atlanta scored five runs off Seth Lugo in the seventh and survived a ninth-inning scare in a 6-4 win over New York on Wednesday night.

The first-place Braves (72-50) are 22 games over .500 for the first time since 2013. That made manager Brian Snitker happy with the win "no matter how you get it."

Snitker could overlook the ninth-inning struggles by Mark Melancon, the team's latest closer.

The Mets have lost three straight, including the first two of the three-game series with Atlanta, after winning 15 of 16 to move up in the NL wild-card chase. The loss left the Mets three games behind Chicago in the race for the second wild card.

"We're still in a good spot," Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. "It's not the end of the world."

New York scored two runs in the ninth off Melancon. Amed Rosario had four hits, including a run-scoring single off Melancon. Pinch-hitter Luis Guillorme added another run-scoring single before loading the bases.

A lengthy review overturned the on-field call that Guillorme was out at second on Pete Alonso's grounder to Ozzie Albies. Shortstop Johan Camargo dropped the throw from Albies for an error, leaving the bases loaded with one out.

Melancon struck out Wilson Ramos before left-hander Jerry Blevins struck out Michael Conforto for his first save.

J.D. Davis gave New York a 2-1 lead with a two-run single in the seventh, when Steven Matz had his second bloop single to right field.

Matz was removed by Callaway after throwing only 79 pitches and allowing only two hits in six innings. Matz retired 14 consecutive batters before being lifted.

The move backfired when the Braves scored five runs on six singles off Lugo and Luis Avilán in the seventh. All five runs were charged to Lugo (5-3), who recorded only one out.

Callaway defended the decision to take Matz out of the game with right-handed hitters Josh Donaldson and Adam Duvall set to open the seventh.

"We have the best reliever in baseball sitting down there in Seth Lugo," Callaway said. "... I'll make that move 100 times out of 100. That's the right move in my mind."

Asked if he was tired after running the bases, Matz said "I felt pretty good. ... It's definitely a humid day, but I have enough time to catch my breath and cool off and stuff."

After Lugo walked Donaldson to open the inning, the Braves had four straight singles. Ender Inciarte's bases-loaded hit to left field tied the game. Flowers then hit a grounder which first baseman Alonso couldn't snag while running toward second. Lugo was late to cover first.

Pinch-hitter Matt Joyce, Ronald Acuña Jr. and Albies also drove in runs in the big inning.

Lugo said he was "just a little unlucky tonight" though he said "walking the leadoff hitter, that hurts."

The loss came after the Mets placed All-Star Jeff McNeil on the 10-day injured list with a mild left hamstring strain.

The start of the game was delayed 1 hour, 12 minutes by rain.

Rubén Tejada, recalled from Triple-A Syracuse, was held without a hit as he started at second base. Callaway said he plans to have Tejada start against left-handers in a platoon with Joe Panik. Tejada, 29, played with the Mets from 2010 through 2015.

With runners on first and third in the sixth, the Mets couldn't score. Todd Frazier's pop fly into shallow right field was caught by first baseman Freddie Freeman, who was running down the line with his back to the infield.